From: Luciano Ramalho <ramalho@...>
Date: 2007-03-28T06:37:30+09:00
Subject: Re: Object/Relational Mapping is the Vietnam of Computer Sci

Actually the I Ching is much older than Taoism. But it is certainly
the first recorded use of a binary notation. "The Mandate of Heaven"
is a wonderful book about the history of the I Ching. BTW, the most
popular translations of the I Ching to Western languages (Legge's and
Willhelm's) today are considered really bad. Try Kerson Huang's (he is
native Chinese, but is also an MIT physics professor).

Do look further into it as it is a fascinating topic.

Cheers,

Luciano

On 3/24/07, Trans <transfire@gmail.com> wrote:
> > When I was a very small boy, I was taught that the Chinese Taoists
> > invented the binary number system, and that the Yin-Yang symbol was part
> > of that whole system. Can someone here correct me if I'm wrong?
>
> IChing symbols use six binary marks. Perhaps you've seen these, For
> example:
>
>   ___   ___
>   _________
>   ___   ___
>   ___   ___
>   _________
>   _________
>
>
> But I don't have any idea if they ever used these beyond enumeration,
> ie. to do addition, multiplication etc.
>
> T.
>
>
>